Plane travel during COVID-19: From check-in to catering, what will it be like?
As interstate travel draws closer, the future of flying in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic will look vastly different, with limited in-flight services and drawn-out check in and boarding procedures. But just how different will it be?
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Protester gets COVID-19 as PM lashes China’s ‘rubbish’ claims
- Public transport fears as train, bus use spikes
As interstate travel draws closer, travel experts say the future of plane travel will look vastly different, with drawn-out check in processes, limited in-flight service and a string of surprising new health and safety measures.
Domestic plane travel may become a reality in just a matter of weeks as Prime Minister Scott Morrison puts pressure on the states to reopen borders in July and Virgin and Qantas boost capacity, but just how different will it be post-COVID-19?
From tedious check in processes to the end of the ‘on call’ flight attendant and even in-flight treats like wine and snacks, the entire in-flight experience is set to radically transform.
Basic health and hygiene protocols such as intense disinfecting of aircraft before boarding, the mandatory use of masks and social distancing between seats will all become second nature, but travellers should also expect some other surprising changes.
Quentin Long from Australian Traveller Media told The Daily Telegraph everything about the experience will not only take longer – but will be less customer-centric. Customers will need to allow even more time at the airport, with check-in processes set to be drawn out to allow social distancing and disinfecting of aircraft.
“Passing security and checking in is going to be quite an extended process and we may find services within airports will be greatly reduced,” he said.
Qantas and Virgin have both asked travellers to allow more time to check in and to expect to fill out a pre-departure COVID-19 health questionnaire.
Customers are also being encouraged to check in online to minimise face-to-face interaction.
Temperature checks will also become a feature at many airports, Mr Long says, with some customers even forced to go home if their reading is over.
“If you turn up and your temperature is over, you will be sent home. Most people will end up with some form of credit as a result of this,” he said.
There’ll also be no lazing around in travel lounges, with Virgin and Qantas closing all of its domestic lounges until further notice.
Boarding a plane is also set to be entirely different to what we’re used to, with guests encouraged to scan their own boarding passes and boarding staggered into zones to enforce social distancing.
Once people are on board, those travelling alone should also expect an empty seat next to them as airlines try to enforce social distancing. But carriers have warned this may not always be possible.
Travellers also need not worry about air quality on-board, with most planes fitted with HEPA filters – the same kind used in medical environments which filter out 99.9 per cent of microbes.
It’s one of the best parts of flying, but the in-flight service experience will be nothing like we remember. Catering will be simplified to reduce unnecessary contact, with no additional food or drinks served.
“The old ring a bell and ask the flight attendant to get something is going to be reduced to essential services. Flight attendants will be more like cleaners than attendants,” Mr Long said.
Even trying to stretch your legs or go to the toilet could be a bit awkward, he says, with staff required to enforce social distancing.
“Staff are going to ask you as much as possible not to leave your seat, so I have no idea how they will manage queues for the toilet on long-haul flights but imagine there could be a ticketing system.”
These drastic changes to the flying experience could result in prices soaring if demand surges and airlines are forced to stagger flights to allow extra time for check-in and cleaning, Mr Long says.
“If demand exceeds supply prices will go up. If you have constrained supply because you have to clean more and boarding is slower so there are less departures, supply is constrained.”
The million-dollar question then is whether certain groups such as business travellers, the elderly or those with compromised immune systems choose to fly less, ultimately evening out demand.
“There are large segments of market may not see return anywhere near as much. Business and high-risk,” he said.
HOW MUCH YOU CAN EXPECT TO PAY FOR INTERSTATE FLIGHTS
Holiday-makers are expected to nab a bargain in coming weeks amid speculation cross-border travel will be allowed by mid July, prompting a surge in cheap domestic flights.
Virgin Australia has more than doubled the number of flights on offer to Queensland, Melbourne and Perth from July 12, foreshadowing the opening of interstate borders.
The announcement comes after Qantas and Jetstar also flagged plans to boost their domestic capacity, prompting a travel expert to forecast a huge drop in flight prices.
MORE NEWS
The reason behind Kmart’s empty shelves
$30k seized as police bust Newcastle drug, gun ring
Botched fireworks attack caught on neighbour’s CCTV
While a date for borders to reopen has not yet been confirmed, Virgin on Thursday seized on hints from the PM and increased flights from Sydney to Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth to seven days a week and Sydney to the Gold Coast to five days a week from July 12.
“As state travel restrictions begin to ease, Virgin Australia is proud to enable more travellers to return to the skies,” the airline said.
Qantas and Jetstar days earlier had also announced they will scale up domestic flights in the next few weeks provided interstate travel restrictions are lifted.
Bargain hunters can rejoice
The announcements come with a welcome promise for travellers desperate to embark on their next adventure – dirt cheap flights.
Domestic flights are currently going at a hefty price tag, with a Qantas flight to Melbourne costing as much as $300 return.
Travel expert Quentin Long, co-founder of Australian Traveller Media, said this will soon change and prices will fall as domestic flights are ramped up by airlines.
“As soon as demand rises, you get pricing increases. At the moment we’ve got highly constrained supply and therefore demand exceeding supply. To stimulate the market, airlines have to start offer cheap airfares.
“They’ll lead with hero deals. The $39 Melbourne to Sydney return stuff because they’re trying to stimulate demand.”
Consumers will have to get in quick, Mr Long says, with bookings made as soon as the borders are opened again the most likely to snag a good deal.
“It will be early bird catches the best worm because they can’t sustain the cheap prices. As soon as they can airlines will look at increasing prices so you have to get in quick.”
Cross-border travel imminent
The news comes as state borders remain closed between NSW and Queensland and Victoria.
But this is expected to change in a matter of weeks as leaders come under mounting pressure to name a date for cross-border travel.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on leaders to fast track interstate travel after last month announcing the final stage of the lockdown would be lifted in July.
“We look forward to the three-step process being completed in July and I would be hoping that at the earliest opportunity states will be able to indicate the date in July that travel will be open again,” he said.
But state premiers have yet to confirm a date for cross-border travel, with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszcuk sparring over their border shutdown as Queensland takes a hard line stance on reopening and Ms Berejiklian accuses them of hindering the nation’s economic recovery.
Ms Palaszcuk did, however, on Thursday say she would review the Queensland border closure at the end of the month.
With Virgin and Qantas both jumping the gun and naming more flights for July, it’s possible interstate travel could be weeks away.
Travel post-COVID
Although airlines are gearing up to welcome travellers back, plane travel is set to look very different to anything we have ever seen – with stringent social distancing rules enforced.
Mr Long says the flight experience will see social distancing encouraged between seats, most people forced to wear masks, minimal interaction with crew and pre-packaged meals.
“It will be this way for the foreseeable future but in the long-term you’ll see some behaviours have changed forever and hygiene on aircraft is a much more conscious thing,” he said.
The downside of these changed behaviours is potentially “excruciatingly” drawn out check-in processes
“The whole experience is going to need patience, check-in will be extended, security will be much more difficult, boarding is going to be tedious and this is going to slow down timetables, planes won’t fly as much,” he said.